Trump Nixes Proposed Driver Sleep Apnea Test

NewsAugust 18, 2017

The Trump administration withdrew a proposed requirement to screen all truck, train and bus operators for sleep apnea – a condition that, if untreated, can cause poor performance in everyday activities as well as severely impaired driving. A few high-profile incidents had called into question the issue of this emerging sleep disorder. The most notable one was when a conductor crashed a train into a crowded train station in Hoboken, New Jersey, killing one and injuring over 100 people. Last March, the Obama administration issued a proposed rulemaking notice that would’ve required screening train engineers and truck drivers for sleep apnea. The Trump administration announced that the proposed requirement was withdrawn, consistent with its continued efforts to eliminate regulations in an attempt to promote economic growth.

Currently, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations provide for medical examinations that probe sleep apnea and sleep disorders in drivers. Thus, some were critical of the proposed regulation because they viewed the extra testing as unnecessary. Additionally, the proposal invited scrutiny to drivers of a certain age, body mass index and neck size.

To the contrary, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, which has advocated for screening truckers for the sleep disorders for years, told Bloomberg that the agency is “disappointed” that the Department of Transportation withdrew the “much-needed rule.”